1. Field
At least one example embodiment relates to a joint assembly and/or a motion assistance apparatus including the joint assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the onset of rapidly aging societies, many people may experience inconvenience and pain from joint problems, and interest in motion assistance apparatuses enabling the elderly or patients with joint problems to walk with less effort, may increase. Furthermore, motion assistance apparatuses for intensifying muscular strength of human bodies may be useful for military purposes.
In general, motion assistance apparatuses for assisting motion of lower parts of bodies may include body frames disposed on trunks of users, pelvic frames coupled to lower sides of the body frames to cover pelvises of the users, femoral frames disposed on thighs of the users, sural frames disposed on calves of the users, and pedial frames disposed on feet of the users. The pelvic frames and femoral frames may be connected rotatably by hip joint portions, the femoral frames and sural frames may be connected rotatably by knee joint portions, and the sural frames and pedial frames may be connected rotatably by ankle joint portions.
The motion assistance apparatuses may include active joint structures including hydraulic systems and driving motors to drive joint portions to improve muscular strength of the legs of the users. For example, separate motors to transmit driving power may be provided at left and right hip joint portions, respectively.